Seifer's Last Chance
by Leonhart4
Summary: It's been nearly a year since the defeat of Ultimecia, and Seifer, Fujin, and Raijin have been living in Fisherman's Horizon since then. Then one day, Balamb Garden stops in for repairs and Seifer decides to go back for one last chance to become a SeeD.
1. The Return

Disclaimer: As you might expect, I don't own the characters or anything associated with Final Fantasy VIII

Disclaimer: As you might expect, I don't own the characters or anything associated with Final Fantasy VIII. Those all belong to the people at Squaresoft.

Chapter 1 – The Return 

It had been nearly a year since the end of the Sorceress War against Ultimecia. Ever since then, I'd been living in Fisherman's Horizon. It was the only place I could go that I wouldn't get kicked out of. That didn't mean that I was welcomed with open arms though. Mayor Bryant Dobe had approached me several times in the past year, telling me he wanted me to leave, but he'd never force me out. That guy was nothing but a whiner that wouldn't do a thing but get on my nerves. There were plenty of times I wanted to punch that guy right in the face, but everyone there hated me enough as it was, so I resisted.

To them, I was still the Sorceress' Knight, a villain, a criminal, and many other things. They never said it to my face, but I'd heard them whispering as I pass by. I think they were all still afraid of me. I'd attained the notoriety I'd always dreamed of, but it was bittersweet. Sure, I was famous and all, but what good was it if no one wanted to be anywhere near me? I had expected countless loyal followers, but instead I got countless enemies.

The only exception to all of that was Master Fisherman Greene. He didn't care what I'd done. It was all in the past, he said. So I spent a lot of time with him fishing. That was basically all he ever wanted to do. Greene taught me all there was to know about the town and fishing. I enjoyed fishing, but it was nothing compared to the heat of battle. Even though some of the fish put up quite a struggle.

I missed it all, but there was no fighting in Fisherman's Horizon. I hadn't fought since me and Squall faced off in Lunatic Pandora. Since then, I hadn't seen Squall or any other SeeDs I knew. Balamb Garden and SeeD had been on top of the world since the end of the war. They were called saviors, heroes, and just about anything else that completely contradicted what they called me. Even some of the residents in town had called them those things.

They had taken all the glory and the goals that I had reached for, partially at my expense, but I wasn't angry at them. I knew I didn't deserve anything that I had dreamed of for as long as I could remember. I had turned against my old home, and aided a sorceress in trying to conquer the universe all throughout time. Although I didn't know that was what she was after. She had lied to me the whole time; anything it took to keep me loyal.

Now Squall had become a hero and I had become a villain. It didn't turn out at all like I had hoped. I wanted to have another duel with him. Nothing life-or-death or anything like that; just sort of a sparring session to see how far we'd come along. Kinda like the fight that ended up with both of us getting scarred.

Speaking of which, I remember Master Fisherman Green telling me about a guy who had a scar just like mine. I just smiled as he told me; I knew it had to have been Squall. He had told me all about the time Balamb Garden came crashing into Fisherman's Horizon, and he had to flee for his life. I still had the Hyperion gunblade that had given Squall that scar. There weren't many times I could take it out of my trenchcoat and practice, but I took every opportunity I got.

On that day, we had gone out onto the ocean on Greene's ship – aptly named _Fisherman's Horizon_- to do some fishing. It was just him, me, and my posse. Fujin and Raijin followed me everywhere I went. They were my only two loyal followers. They didn't have as big of a part in the war as I did, so they weren't as hated or well known. Those two were almost exact opposites. Raijin was a tall, strong, bronze-skinned man, while Fujin was a fairly short, slim, pale woman. Raijin had short, dark black hair, and Fujin had shining silver hair down to the bottom of her neck. Raijin always seemed light and never serious, while Fujin always appeared cold, calm, and calculating. Raijin loved to talk about anything and everything, but Fujin was a woman of few words, barely ever speaking more than one word at a time in her low, raspy tone. Their only common bond was their unwavering loyalty to me.

I had always wondered why she always talked like that because I had heard her speak normally before. Maybe she just felt like she could say all she needed to say in a couple words. But I never asked her why, so she never told. I never asked what happened to her left eye either. Fujin just spectated silently as me, Raijin, and Greene continuously casted our lines out and reeled them back in, hoping to catch a fish. 

Raijin had gotten ecstatic about catching a fish when something else caught his attention. "Hey, look! I got one, ya kn…" he trailed off. The three of us followed his fixed gaze. I saw something on the horizon, but couldn't tell what it was. "What is it?" I asked.

"I'm not sure. I can't see it good, ya know," Raijin replied. 

As it came closer, we were finally able to make out the giant jewel floating through the sky. We were all at a loss for words, and amazingly, Fujin broke the silence. "GARDEN."

That was when Master Fisherman Green began panicking. "Oh no! Not again! Hurry! We gotta get back before it crushes us all!" he yelled. He quickly turned the ship around and started sailing back to the docks.

Before we made it back, Balamb Garden passed overhead. Me, Fujin, and Raijin looked up at it as Greene continued to steer the ship and freak out. Garden came to a stop at Fisherman's Horizon as the ship pulled into the dock. Greene sighed with relief and wiped the beads of sweat off his forehead as we stepped off. "Whew, got lucky this time. Wonder what they're here for?" he mused. "Well, anyway, I need to go relax after that. I'll see y'all later."

"See ya later!" Raijin shot back as Greene walked off.

It was only the third time since I'd seen the Garden since it became mobile. The first time was the battle between Balamb and Galbadia Gardens. The second time was immediately after the end of the war as they passed over us when we had first come to Fisherman's Horizon. My gaze hadn't left it since we caught sight of it. If Fujin noticed, she didn't say anything, but I didn't think she would. My muscular comrade spoke up instead. "What's up, Seifer?" he asked.

"I was just thinkin'. It's really dull here and I miss battle. I haven't had a real one in about a year. Maybe we should go back," I said.

"What?! They probably don't want nothin' to do with us, ya know!" Raijin protested.

"Maybe, but I'm dyin' to fight again. We'll see how it goes and if they reject us, we'll leave. Agreed?" I proposed.

"AGREED," Fujin simply accepted. "Sounds good," Raijin said. _(Maybe this will give me a chance to clear my name.)_ I thought. Then we all headed toward Balamb Garden.

_Author's Notes: This is my first attempt at a story from first person P.O.V. What did you think? Good or bad? Give me reasons to back up your claim please. It doesn't matter if it's bad. It'll help me improve as a writer._


	2. Knight Time in the Garden

Author's Notes: I got a few reviews saying that Seifer was out of character on the first chapter

_Author's Notes: I got a few reviews saying that Seifer was out of character on the first chapter. Well, that was because I was simply peering into his thoughts. I believed Seifer always had some thoughts like that, but he always kept them hidden, covering them up with his attitude. So, hopefully, this chapter will be a little bit more of the Seifer you know._

Chapter 2 – Knight Time in the Garden

As the three of us came upon our old home, I saw two people I recognized standing on the second floor deck with their backs to us. Michon and Mishon. They were both cadets who had been in Instructor Trepe's class with me. They didn't take the field exam the last year I was there, so I figured they weren't SeeDs yet. I guess they were both about sixteen or seventeen and getting ready to take the field exam this year. 

Michon had long, thick brown hair down to her waist, and her eyes were the same shade of brown. Mishon had short bleached-blonde hair with icy blue eyes that were cold when she glared at you if you offended her or made her mad. Heh, I knew that stare all too well. 

I smiled mischievously and whispered to Fujin and Raijin, "Be quiet. We're gonna sneak up on them." They nodded their understanding, and Raijin grinned. He was gonna enjoy this as much as I was. 

As we came upon them silently, I listened to them chatter and giggle about this and that. _(Typical teenage girls.)_ I thought. I stopped right behind them and decided I would purposely change my voice so they wouldn't recognize me right away. I wanted to see the looks on their faces when they realized it was me. "So what are you all doing here?" I asked in a very deep voice.

It was Michon who spoke, and they both turned around as she did. "Oh, we're just here for rep…"

That was when they saw my face. Their shocked expressions were priceless and a wide grin slowly began to creep across my face. "It's…I-It's…You…!" was the only thing they said that I could understand. They were at a loss for words, which was a rarity.

Then they both ran back inside. Me and Raijin broke into hysterical laughter, and even Fujin couldn't help but smirk. "That was great, Seifer! They're still afraid of you, ya know!" Raijin said, still chuckling. "Yeah, I know. It's great! Come on, you two. Let's head inside," I said, still smiling.

We stepped inside and took a look around. It hadn't changed much since I had last been here. I saw the old emergency exit that was right next to the stairway, and there was a kid cadet standing near it, examining it closely. I vaguely remembered a kid who used to always stand there and just look at it without any reason. Mark, I think his name was. He must've been only ten years old or so. Me, Fujin, and Raijin used to warn him that he'd get detention if he didn't leave. Then he'd run away crying, and some female SeeD medic would scold us. I never really paid much attention to what she said though. I didn't care what she had to say.

"What are you doing, kid?" I asked in a somewhat reprimanding-type voice.

He jumped a little bit, then turned around to face us. "Oh, I was just…!" His excuse trailed off when he saw the old Disciplinary Committee staring right at him. Then his eyes bulged; they looked like they were about to pop out of the sockets. "You're…You're…You're…You're…" He was pointing a shaky finger at me while he just repeated that one word. "Seifer," I finished for him.

Then he started screaming loudly and running down the hallway. I thought my eardrums were about to burst, but the three of us shared a brief laugh again. "Ah, feels like we never left," I said.

Then I saw that female SeeD medic stick her head out my old classroom and yell, "Mark, what's wrong?!" She turned in our direction and her mouth dropped open wide. Then she went back into the classroom and closed the door. _(I'm glad I decided to come back now. I'm enjoying watching all these reactions, but it's only a matter of time before the SeeD welcoming committee comes to greet us.)_ I thought.

"Let's keep moving," I said. "Where are we going?" Raijin asked. "CID?" Fujin inquired.

"Absolutely right, Fujin. If we want to be allowed back in, that's who we gotta see. Although I don't think we'll have to wait long. Plus, we'll get a personal escort," I replied.

Suddenly, we heard an announcement being made over the intercom. "SeeDs on the second floor, we have received a report that Seifer Almasy has entered through the deck. If you find him, apprehend him. Do not harm him unless you encounter open hostility. That is all." That was Cid's voice.

Almost immediately, the classroom door opened and a large group poured out with their weapons already drawn. "It's him!" the female SeeD medic exclaimed, acting as if she was surprised.

"Hey, you didn't have to go through all this trouble just to welcome me back," I said, remaining calm.

"Shut up! Don't play your games with us! Seifer Almasy, you and your two friends are gonna come along quietly!" one SeeD shouted angrily.

"Okay, let's go," I agreed.

The large group looked at each other, obviously perplexed. I had to admit that I was enjoying this more than I thought I would so far. They whispered for a few moments before the same SeeD addressed me again. "What are you up to?" he asked suspiciously.

"Nothing, and to prove it, you can take our weapons," I assured. I took my precious Hyperion gunblade out of my trenchcoat and laid it on the ground in front of them. Raijin laid down his staff and Fujin dropped her sai as well. The SeeD cautiously gathered our weapons, keeping a close, constant eye on us.

After he stood back up, he said, "Come with us." Me, Fujin, and Raijin followed them willingly.

_Author's Notes: I must say that I'm surprised with all the attention this fanfiction has received after one chapter. None of my others have as many reviews combined as this story has alone after two days. Well, I can't say I'm really all that surprised. All of you love Seifer, so I decided to provide you with another one of the endless stories about him. I hope you're all enjoying it thus far. Tell me what you think in a review, along with some honest constructive criticism. It'll only help me improve as a writer._


	3. A Wish: Granted or Denied?

Author's Notes: I'm not sure if this chapter is any good or not. I'm never too confident of a chapter when I first write it out on paper, so we'll see how I feel about it afterwards. Hope you all enjoy it.

**Chapter 3 – A Wish: Granted or Denied?**

They led us to the elevator that would take us up to Cid's office. Of course, not everyone could fit on there, so some of them had to stay and return to their duties. Fujin, Raijin, and me had to stand in the middle while the SeeDs surrounded us.

When the elevator dinged and the door opened, we stepped off, still in the center of a circle of SeeDs. The office had changed more than anywhere else, I'd say. I hadn't been there much, unless it was to be reprimanded by the Garden Faculty. I noticed that the faculty wasn't there anymore though. In the middle of the office was a structure that resembled a pillar and had a lift that went all the way up. Galbadia Garden had something similar when it became mobile, so I could guess that the Garden controls were up there.

Cid Kramer wasn't the only one in the office besides us; there were some other familiar faces. I was pretty surprised to see Squall and Matron in there (because this didn't seem like Squall's kinda thing and I had no idea what had happened to Matron after the fight in Galbadia Garden). My former instructor Quistis was up there, standing alongside someone I wasn't at all thrilled to see: Xu Thomason.

She hated everything about me with a passion and the feeling was definitely mutual. After I had failed the SeeD Field Exam the year before, she said I'd never be a SeeD and calling myself a captain (since I was in charge of Squad B) was a joke. Amazingly, despite the fact that she said I failed as a captain, the two others in my group, Squall Leonhart and Zell Dincht no less, passed the Field Exam. 

Xu was part of the reason I joined Sorceress Ultimecia. I was determined to prove her wrong and get my revenge on her. She was looking down on me with that "holier than thou" glare that she seemed to naturally possess. I kept my cool though and decided not to meet her glance. I didn't want to do anything that might blow my chances.

Then Cid spoke to the SeeDs surrounding us. "You are dismissed." They all gave the SeeD salute, chorused, "Yes sir!" obediently, and exited.

Then Cid addressed me. "I'm not sure why you are here, Seifer, but I will give you some time to explain yourself."

I simply nodded and told them my story. "Well, we've been living in Fisherman's Horizon for about a year now and life's been pretty dull for us. So you guys dropped by today and it gave me an idea. I'm nineteen, which means I've still got one last opportunity to take the SeeD exams. So, since I've got all the credits necessary to graduate, I came here to see if you'd let me take the exams and see if I pass. If I fail, I'll never set foot on this Garden again," I told them.

"You're full of crap, Almasy! You're up to something! Don't lie to us! You're still working with Galbadia, aren't you?" Xu accused.

"Please, Xu, be quiet," Cid ordered, although it was in a meek tone. She looked very sheepish because of her outburst and I took the time to give her a smug smile. "Now Seifer, are you truly sincere about your request?" Cid asked.

"Yeah, definitely," I replied.

"Well, if you three will wait outside for a few moments, we'll discuss that possibility," Cid said.

So me, Fujin, and Raijin went outside while they talked. I placed my ear against the door to eavesdrop on the conversation. "So what do we do?" I heard Cid ask expectantly.

"I say don't believe him for a second! Kick him outta here!" Xu said cruelly. I scowled quietly at that.

"I'm not so sure we need him back here. He caused a lot of problems even before he became the Sorceress' Knight," Quistis said, so quietly that I barely heard her.

"What do you think, Squall?" Cid asked curiously. "…Whatever," he said, not exactly surprising anybody. I still couldn't help but grin at his predictability.

"I think maybe he deserves a second chance," Cid stated. I had always thought he was pretty reasonable for a guy in charge of a bunch of mercenaries, but I'd never say it to his face.

"Well, Seifer's had so many second chances that he's used up other people's second chances," Quistis commented. I couldn't exactly disagree with that.

"Maybe so, but since the war's ended, he's done nothing to us. Besides, the written exam and the field exam are only a couple of weeks away. If he fails, he won't be here too long. We can at least give him that much," Cid said. Now he wasn't seeming all that bad for an old guy.

"But that still doesn't change the fact that this guy tried to destroy us! It's unforgivable!" Xu exclaimed.

"As did I. Are you saying that I should not be allowed here as well since I am guilty of all the charges you lay on Seifer?" Matron questioned. I knew she'd defend me. She'd defend any of the kids from the orphanage because she raised us as her own. Even if no one else would, Matron would stand up for me.

I didn't hear anything else being said. I pressed my ear as close to the door as I could and then I realized that they just weren't talking anymore. Matron's speech must've silenced them. I would've loved to see Xu's face after that. I pictured it in my mind and had to suppress my laughter.

"…I guess it's settled then," Cid said after the pause and I heard footsteps coming toward the door. I backed away just before he opened the door. Raijin, Fujin, and me went back into his office to hear the announcement I knew I was coming, but I was still thrilled to listen to them tell me face to face. "Seifer Almasy, your wish has been granted," Cid said.

It was not only my last chance, but my greatest chance to clear my name and prove myself.

Author's Notes: So what did you all think? Good or bad? Let me know in a review with reasons to back up your claims, if you don't mind. A little honest constructive criticism couldn't hurt. It'll only help me improve as a writer. Actually, just to know someone's reading this is nice. I'd take the simple "good job" or "cool." Just let me know what you thought.


	4. The New List

Chapter 4- The New List  
  
As Fujin, Raijin, and I headed back to the elevator, its doors opened to reveal a not-completely unexpected guest. "Seifer! What are you doing here?!" shouted the angry voice of Zell Dincht.  
  
"Whoa, calm down, Chicken-Wuss," I said, calling him by the infamous nickname I had for him.  
  
"WHAT WAS THAT?!" he yelled, outraged.  
  
I chuckled briefly. I always knew how to get to this guy's extremely short temper, and I loved it. Zell was very entertaining to watch when he was mad. "What's the matter, Chicken-Wuss? Can't ya hear?" I shot back.  
  
Zell squatted down and slammed his fist against the floor, muttering incoherent comments I guessed were directed towards me. Then he stood up and stared me straight in the eyes. "What are you doing here, Seifer?" he repeated through clenched teeth, as if he was trying to control his rage.  
  
"I thought you'd be happier to see me, but I guess not. Don't worry though. I'm just here to take the SeeD exams for the last time," I answered.  
  
"You're…what?! There's no way the Headmaster approved of that!" Zell exclaimed in disbelief.  
  
"Oh, there is a way, Chicken-Wuss, 'cause he did," I stated. "Now get outta our way! We're goin' down."  
  
He scowled at us as we walked past him into the elevator. I didn't even bother to look at him again and we descended to the first floor. We got off and went down the stairs. We received a lot of stares from everybody, of course.  
  
"Where we goin', Seifer?" Raijin asked curiously.  
  
"We're gonna go see if our dorms are available. If not, then we'll kick out the current residents," I said.  
  
Raijin grinned, and we went on. We walked past the infirmary, the quad, and the cafeteria before we reached the dormitory. We found our old rooms and opened the doors. To my surprise, I discovered that mine had been untouched since I had left. My bed was not made, which I remembered that I decided not to do that fateful morning before reporting to the detention room. Even the things I had left were still here, including the gunblade case for my Hyperion. Obviously, nobody wanted anything to do with my old room, but I just shrugged it off and went in.  
  
Night had fallen, and I was tired. I dropped lazily onto my bed, which was very comfortable. I had forgotten just how relaxing it was. I fell asleep without a problem.  
  
The next morning, I got up and went to Fujin and Raijin's room. "So what do we do for the next couple weeks 'til the exams?" I inquired.  
  
"I dunno," Raijin replied.  
  
"Any ideas, Fujin?" I then asked.  
  
"NONE," was her simple reply.  
  
"Great, so we'll be bored out of our minds," I said, disappointed.  
  
"There's gotta be somethin' we can do, ya know," Raijin said.  
  
"But what?" I asked.  
  
"Beats me," he said with a shrug of the shoulders.  
  
"Wonderful," I said sarcastically. "If I was still in charge of the disciplinary committee, I would… Wait! That's it!"  
  
"What's it?" Raijin asked, not getting the idea yet.  
  
"We'll take up the unofficial role of the disciplinary committee, and when I become a SeeD, then we'll make it official. What do you guys think?" I suggested, and I could feel my eyes brightening.  
  
As I expected, Raijin and Fujin nodded approvingly. "So it's settled. We'll strike fear into these cadets and SeeDs once again," I said with a snicker. I couldn't wait to get started. Then I remembered the vital item for our committee. "Do we still have the list?"  
  
Both of them fumbled through their pockets, and came up empty-handed. "Nope."  
  
"Oh well. We'll make a new one," I said.  
  
"Sounds good, ya know," Raijin agreed.  
  
Fujin looked around in one of her drawers and found a pen and a pad. "READY," she said.  
  
"All right. Our first stop for the day is the cafeteria. I'm hungry," I said.  
  
So we left the dorm and headed to the cafeteria for some breakfast, and maybe to stir up a little trouble. What was the discipline committee good for unless there was something going on, right?  
  
We heard the chatting from afar up until we entered, and then they hushed when they noticed we were there. I stood there motionless and expressionless while they all stared at me, giving them no clue as to what I was up to. Once they suspected we weren't gonna do anything, they started talking again.  
  
We got in line and patiently waited. We got our food and sat down at an empty table. Everyone at the adjacent tables hurriedly got out of their seats and moved. "Seems like we're already making the kind of impression we want," I commented to my posse with a smirk.  
  
When we were nearly finished, Zell dashed into the room and up to the cafeteria ladies. "Do you…have any hot dogs left?" he asked, breathing heavily.  
  
"Nope, we sold out a long time ago," one of them replied.  
  
"Ah, crap!" he exclaimed in frustration, then scuffed his foot angrily across the tile floor.  
  
"Come on, guys. Duty calls," I said with a smile. (I knew he'd be our first victim.)  
  
We approached him from behind. "Quiet down, Chicken-Wuss. People are tryin' to eat here," I said.  
  
Zell turned to face us. "Shove it, Seifer!" he said heatedly.  
  
"You've committed three violations: speeding, disturbing the peace, and refusing to listen to authority," I informed him with a tone of firmness.  
  
"Ha! Authority! That's rich!" Zell said.  
  
"I should report you, but I'll let it go this time. Fujin, add Chicken-Wuss to the list," I ordered.  
  
"List? What list?" he asked, confused.  
  
"You should know. You were on the last one, too. It's the disciplinary committee's 'troublemakers' list," I replied.  
  
Before Zell had a chance to reply, a voice called from behind, "Hey, that's not fair! You guys can't do that! You're not even on the committee anymore."  
  
I glanced over my shoulder to see the petite form of Selphie Tilmitt. "Says who?" I questioned.  
  
"Says me! I'm in charge of the Garden Festival Committee, so I know who's on all the others. You guys weren't re-appointed," she answered.  
  
"Who cares? We don't need anybody's permission! Somebody's gotta keep order around here, and that's us!" I shot back. Then I turned toward Fujin again. "Add her to the list, too."  
  
"Hey!"  
  
I ignored her. "Let's go, Fujin, Raijin," I said, strolling past the two SeeDs. Then my posse followed loyally.  
  
As we exited, we ran into Rinoa Heartilly. "Hello, Seifer," she said with sincere kindness.  
  
"Hello, Rinoa," I returned.  
  
"Good luck with your exams," she wished.  
  
I always hated when people wished me luck, but for some reason I didn't mind this time. Then I searched her eyes for signs of sarcasm, but detected none. I really wasn't expecting to find any, but decided to check anyway. Rinoa was a kind, forgiving, if not maybe a bit naïve as well, soul, unlike most of the people in Balamb Garden. That was why, two years previous…Nevermind, that's not important.  
  
I was completely shocked when I heard she was going out with Squall. She really liked me a lot once, or so I'd heard, and now she was dating someone completely opposite from me. Squall was basically my antithesis, but more importantly, my rival. I couldn't believe that.  
  
"Thanks," I said, and then we went our separate ways.  
  
Author's Note: Wow, it's been a long time since I updated. I'd had this one written for a while, but never got around to actually posting it up here. Anyway, hope you enjoyed it. Let me know what you thought in a review. 


	5. Exam Time

Chapter 5- Exam Time  
  
Despite the fact that I thoroughly enjoyed being on the disciplinary committee, the days leading up to the exams were very dull. There were very few times that I actually got to exercise my power. The list was comprised of an insignificant number of names. There were only five to be exact. We had Zell, Selphie, Xu (just for spite), Mishon, and Michon (for the little ordeal when this whole thing started).  
  
The day for the written exam had finally arrived, and although I hated writing, it meant that the field exam was only a few days away. Then I reported to my old homeroom, which was exactly the same as before, except for some different students and a new instructor.  
  
This new guy's name was Jeshua Rose. I'd never heard of him before. He was tall and fairly built, looking like the SeeD type. As I passed by his desk, he handed me the test. "Good luck, Mr. Almasy," he said with a deep voice, displaying no fear or resentment in his tone or eyes.  
  
(Why is everyone wishing me luck? I can't stand that.) I thought in frustration. "Don't tell me that, Instructor. I hate it when people…" I started, but never finished.  
  
"Save it for later, Mr. Almasy. Right now, get to work on your exam," Jeshua interrupted calmly.  
  
I felt like telling him off, because nobody interrupts me. I thought better of it though, since I didn't wanna blow my chance. Everyone was waiting for and expecting it, and I didn't want to give them the satisfaction. So I just glared menacingly, and went to an empty terminal in the back of the room. (I'll put him on the list next.)  
  
Then I began to concentrate on the task at hand. Actually, there wasn't much concentration needed. Balamb Garden gave basically the same SeeD Written Exam every year, and I'd already passed it four times before. I knew all there was to know. I was the first one finished. After I placed my paper on the instructor's desk, I strutted confidently out of the room, purposely slamming the door as hard as I could behind me to distract and annoy everyone.  
  
Outside, Fujin and Raijin had been anxiously waiting. "How'd ya go?" Raijin asked. "PASS?" Fujin added.  
  
"Of course. This is me we're talkin' about here," I replied. "Oh yeah. Before I forget, add Instructor Jeshua Rose to the list."  
  
The next day, I returned to receive my score. As I stood in front of his desk, he rummaged through all the tests until he came upon mine. "Ah, Mr. Almasy, I suppose congratulations are in order. You passed with flying colors; highest grade in the class," Jeshua told me.  
  
"I wouldn't have expected any less. Oh, and one last thing, don't ever wish me luck again," I said, making my way toward the exit.  
  
"Good luck on the Field Exam, Mr. Almasy," he called out as I closed the door.  
  
"You think you're funny, don't ya? We'll see who's laughin' in a couple days," I muttered under my breath.  
  
The tension grew as it drew nearer. This was my last chance. I knew it, and everyone else knew it. They were all waiting for me to mess up like I had every other time. I would be laughed at, and they'd all smile triumphantly as they watched me leave the halls of Balamb Garden forever. There was no way I was gonna let that happen. I had to pass the field exam, no matter what.  
  
The night before the big day was restless for me. I couldn't stop thinking about the possibilities, failure most of all. I dozed in and out of sleep, tossing and turning relentlessly.  
  
Morning arrived, and I was as ready as I had ever been for this thing. I had trained hard for this one, spending a whole lot of time in the training center every day. I walked to the directory, where team assignments would be announced, followed closely by my posse.  
  
Some people were already waiting, including the cowboy Irvine Kinneas. I had thought he was already a SeeD, but maybe I was mistaken. I decided to ask him and find out. "Hey sharpshooter," I said, using the term with contempt.  
  
He turned around to face me. "What is it?" he asked.  
  
"Aren't you already a SeeD?"  
  
"Well, I ain't yet. I'm a Galbadia Garden transfer. So this is my first time takin' it," Irvine responded.  
  
(Galbadia Garden transfer? Imagine what a powerful ally this guy would've been if he had stayed. After all, he was one of Ultimecia's conquerors, even if he's not much of a hitman.) I thought.  
  
Then we heard Xu call out, "Quiet down please! I am now going to announce the squad assignments. There will be four squads, A-D, comprised of three members apiece. Let's start with Squad A: Marcus Mitchell, Zora Massingill, and the squad leader is Jace Jeffries," Xu said.  
  
"Now onto Squad B: Auron Croy, Brionia Harris, and the squad leader is Delia Mirano."  
  
(Okay, not in the first two. So I guess I'm gonna lead C or D.) I figured.  
  
"Squad C: Rocky Cross, Stanton Bradford, and the squad leader is Mishon Carroll," Xu continued.  
  
(Well, I guess that only leaves me with D. Hey, that means Cowboy and Michon are gonna be under my command!) I realized.  
  
"Finally, Squad D: Michon Krown, Seifer Almasy, and the squad leader is Irvine Kinneas," she finished.  
  
(What?! Xu must've set it up intentionally so I wouldn't be the leader!) I thought furiously.  
  
"Now that we've gotten that out of the way, head to the parking lot and board the Ragnarok. The mission briefing will be held there."  
  
All the SeeD candidates began flocking toward the parking lot except me, Irvine, and Michon. "Come on! We gotta hurry!" Irvine urged.  
  
"Hold up for a second," I told him. Then I confronted Xu. "Thomason, I know you rigged the group assignments so I wouldn't be squad leader."  
  
"What are you talking about, Almasy? You and Kinneas were drawn to be on the same team, and we all agreed that he was better qualified to be leader," Xu denied, desperately trying to hold back laughter.  
  
Those comments brought back memories from the year previous, after I had failed the Field Exam. "You'll never be a SeeD. Calling yourself a captain is a joke," Xu had coldly said.  
  
I had resented her before, but that heightened it to new levels, and she had once again managed to hurt my pride. I wasn't about to let her know though. "This might be the biggest mistake you'll ever make, Thomason. You'll realize that when I pass," I retorted confidently. "One last thing… Fujin, Raijin, add Irvine Kinneas to the list."  
  
"Hey! What'd you do that for?" Irvine asked, perplexed.  
  
"You're my superior," I simply answered.  
  
Then we headed to the parking lot to start our mission.  
  
Author's Notes: Well, that's all I've got for now. Let me know what you thought in a review, and I'll try not to space out the time between chapters so much next time. 


	6. Restlessness

Chapter 6- Restlessness 

We boarded the large dragon-shaped airship and took a seat, with Xu standing up front to give the mission outline. "We are headed to Esthar. We have been hired by President Laguna Loire to hunt down a small group responsible for a recent assassination attempt on his life. They don't have any leads, so they hope we'll be able to track them down. They believe that they are within the borders of Esthar itself," she explained. "Now I'll give specific orders to each—"

"Wait a minute," I interrupted. "So you're sayin' that there isn't gonna be any action at all? We're just playing detective?!" I thought it was an outrageous idea. I didn't join to do that. I wanted to be where the action was.

"Not necessarily. There are still many monsters within the city limits left over from the Lunar Cry," she said, shooting a brief, yet spiteful glance at me. I knew what Xu meant by that. She held me responsible for that, and maybe I was. But this was supposed to be my chance for redemption, and to prove all those who didn't believe wrong. That was exactly what I aimed to do. I couldn't change the past, no matter how deeply I wanted to.

"Now I'll give specific orders to each squad. Squad A, you'll take care of everything around the Presidential Palace. You'll also have the extra responsibility of helping to guard and protect the president."

_(Guarding and patrolling. How boring.)_ I thought.

"Squad B, you'll be scouting the perimeter of the city, and also prevent any additional monsters from entering the city," Xu informed them.

(Monster extermination…Not the most exciting thing in the world, but better than guard duty.)

"Squad C, you'll be in the center of the city, searching for clues and following any leads you receive. We will keep in contact with you and relay any new information to you."

(Ah, the bloodhounds. The ones who actually do the hunting of the culprits. Just like me being Edea's bloodhound, hunting down the SeeDs long ago. That's what I'd want to do, if I had a choice.)

"Finally, Squad D will report to Odine's Laboratory. You will interrogate Doctor Odine and his assistants. Just get whatever you can from there and report it to us," Xu relayed the orders to us.

_(You can't be serious! I'm on the intelligence team! The most boring of them all, and Xu puts me on this one!)_ I thought furiously.

I couldn't believe it. It was the last team I wanted to be on, and once again, I felt my placement there had been deliberate. "So we do the least amount of actual work? We just gather information and hang out with some scientists?" I questioned.

"Well, we figured this would give you the best chance of passing. You know exactly what you have to do, and there shouldn't be any problems remembering your boundaries like last time," Xu explained, obviously lying.

Did she actually expect me to buy this crap she was giving me? She knew I was gonna get bored, and go against orders, which meant I would fail. Of course I wouldn't just sit still. I wasn't gonna do that for anybody, even if it meant failing. I wasn't gonna let someone else get all the glory while I gave them the clues to go by.

"Any other questions?" No one spoke and there was silence in the room. "Okay then. We will be arriving in Esthar shortly. Good luck to you all."

_(More wishing me luck. If I hear someone say that one more time, I'm gonna punch them in the face.)_ I thought, irritated.

Xu left the room, and we waited for the Ragnarok to land at Esthar. "Listen, Seifer, don't blow this for the rest of us. You might not care about any of this, but we do. Just stick to orders," Michon demanded.

My eyes narrowed in anger. "Don't tell me what to do. I'll do what I want. I don't take orders from nobody," I retorted.

"Hey, hey…Easy, fellas. Can't we all just get along for now?" Irvine said, trying to play peacemaker.

I chuckled and shook my head. "Man, you're dumber than you look," I said.

He frowned, but didn't say anything in reply. "Quit being a jerk, Seifer," Michon said.

"Oh, but things just wouldn't be the same if I wasn't. We might actually be able to tolerate each other then," I commented sarcastically.

Michon growled, but remained silent otherwise. _(It's gonna be a long trip. It doesn't look like I'm gonna have much competition. Should be easy enough, but way too boring.)_ I pondered.

The airship was amazingly fast; faster than I thought it would be. I wondered who was flying it. I wanted to do something, anything, because it was extremely dull just lingering in this room. The trip to wherever we were going always was. We were expected to just sit quietly and be patient until we got there. So many of their rules and regulations weren't made for me, but it's not like I obeyed them anyway.

I stood up from my seat and left the room. "Where's he going?" I heard Irvine whisper to Michon.

I had seen a lift right outside the room on the way in. I hopped on it and took it up to see where it'd take me. As it came to a stop, the SeeDs occupying the room turned to look at me. Except for the cowboy naturally, they were all there: Squall, Quistis, Zell, Xu, Selphie, and Rinoa. They were all adorned in their SeeD uniforms except for Rinoa, of course. Selphie was piloting the Ragnarok, which explained our rigorous pace.

"What are you doin' here, Seifer?!" Zell exclaimed.

"I might ask you the same thing, Chicken-Wuss," I said with a smirk of pleasure at seeing his rage.

"We're your backup, in case some idiot like you messes everything up!"

"Calm down, Zell," Squall told him coolly. The Chicken-Wuss looked surprised that he had said that, but astonishingly kept his mouth shut. "So what do you want?"

I really had no reasons for being there, so I just made up a question as an excuse. "When are we gonna get there?" I inquired.

"Who knows."

"It shouldn't be much longer," Quistis stated.

I could tell Squall was expecting me to leave, and appeared annoyed when I didn't. "…Is that all?"

"Yeah, I guess I'm done," I answered him calmly.

"Then you should head back down until we get there."

I took the lift back down, resisting the urge to mock salute him just to see how he'd react. I didn't go back to that room where we were assigned. Instead, I decided to explore the airship. It was a very sleek model, impressive to say the least. Esthar's technology was far beyond anything I'd seen in the world outside of it just from looking at Lunatic Pandora and this airship. Both of them were quite old by technological standards, so I was eager to see what advancements they'd made. I never got the chance to look at the city while we were soaring over it in Lunatic Pandora, obviously.

On the outside, I didn't ever appear visibly impressed by anything, but it wasn't something I cared to express. There are just some emotions you don't show. They're signs of weakness. You either needed to look indifferent, angry, or simply satisfied, but only based on your accomplishments. Nothing more than that. That way, your enemies can't see what you're thinking. It gives you an advantage in that situation.

At that moment, it occurred to me that Xu hadn't spoken a word to me while I was up there. She had managed to maintain her composure, but maybe it was because I myself hadn't said anything to her either. My thoughts were interrupted by a tap on the shoulder. I spun around swiftly to see Irvine staring back at me.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"What are you doing here?"

"Like that's any of your business."

He smirked and commented, "Sounds like what Squall would say."

I scoffed at the sniper wannabe. "Don't insult me."

Then the airship slowed down and began to land. "Looks like we're here."

"About time. Let's go."

_Author's Notes: Sorry it took so long to finally get another chapter out. I've been busy trying desperately to finish my major story, and it's finally done. I can concentrate more on this now. Anyway, let me know what you thought in a review._


	7. Interview with a Scientist

Chapter 7-Interview With A Scientist 

The hatch of the airship opened and we filed out, and it closed once everybody had exited. We walked out of the Airstation and beheld the vast city of Esthar. I had to admit that it was amazing, and I heard the other candidates gasping in awe. Only the cowboy and I showed no outward signs of emotion. "It's cool, ain't it?" he commented to me.

I ignored him and didn't reply. "All squads report to your posts!" Xu commanded.

They all dispersed, leaving only Irvine, Michon, and me. "So where do we go?" she asked.

"Follow me," he said, starting to walk off. We trailed behind him as he led us to our destination. "We'll just take that lift there." He pointed to a levitating pod nearby that apparently went through the adjacent red tubes and took you anywhere in Esthar. There was a man dressed in a weird white robe standing next to it. "Hey, can we hitch a ride?"

"I'm sorry, but they're out of commission," he informed.

"What's the problem?" Irvine inquired.

"Monsters are crawling through the tubes. We can't risk sending anyone through them."

"I guess we're walkin' it," I said.

Michon sighed. "Let's get going then."

The sharpshooter guided us toward Odine's Laboratory leisurely, in no big rush. There were no monsters in sight, much to my displeasure. It was a short and uneventful trip to the lab as we walked the blue streets. There weren't many people out, but any who were all wore those strange robes, which dragged, along the ground. The city was amazingly clean and the air was a clear blue. It was unusual seeing such a large city not covered in pollution like Deling City was.

We approached Odine's Laboratory, walking over the crescent moon emblem that had been on Lunatic Pandora. The doors opened and I saw three other scientists along with a man who could only be Odine, with his even odder clothing and very short stature. He had something in his hand, but I couldn't make out what it was. He shouted when he realized we were there and fumbled with the device, trying to conceal it. 

"What are you doing here?!" he asked angrily in a heavily accented voice.

"We're the SeeD candidates who were assigned here," Irvine answered.

"What? I was…not informed of this," Odine said in confusion.

"Either way, here we are," Michon said.

"What do you want?"

"We're investigating President Loire's attempted assassination," the cowboy replied.

"Oh, is that so? What do you want to know?" He seemed very willing to disclose information to us.

"Any info you can give us would be helpful," Michon said.

"I don't know much, but…Several different names have been mentioned: People ranging from ex-criminals to even those on the president's staff. The one I've heard the most is Mathieu Rafale."

I tapped my foot impatiently, growing bored quickly as he yapped.

"And who's that?" Irvine inquired.

"An ex-convict who runs a weapons shop. They believe he was involved in some way, whether it was selling the rifle or actually pulling the trigger."

"What was he in prison for?" Michon asked curiously.

"Several cases of aggravated assault," Odine answered. "He has also been rather outspoken about the president's conservative and isolationist policies. It is obvious that he is not fond of the president, to say the least."

"I can't believe they'd let someone like that run a weapons shop!" she exclaimed.

"The president is a forgiving individual. He believes everyone deserves another chance."

"Sounds like a naïve idiot to me," I commented. The doctor didn't argue or even appear offended by the remark. _(He doesn't seem to hold that much of an allegiance to him either.)_ I thought.

"Hey! Don't say that about him!" Irvine protested.

"Why not?" I asked, intentionally being confrontational.

"Because he's my friend."

"Ha, like I care."

The cowboy scowled and took a long stride toward me. "That's enough, you guys!" Michon intervened, stepping between and separating the two of us. "We don't have time for this!"

I shot a self-satisfied smirk at the sharpshooter and said, "Gotta keep your cool."

"You're one to talk," he muttered.

"Are you going to let me talk or not?!" Odine interrupted, outraged.

"What? What is it?" he asked, irritated.

"You want to find Rafale, correct?" I folded my arms and waited while the other two nodded. "His weapons shop is on the other side of the city. He is a tall, arrogant man with blonde hair and numerous scars from brawls he has been in. He has already denied any involvement in the incident. He becomes very angry whenever an accusation is brought against him. He is a very aggressive person," he explained.

"Sounds like someone I know," Irvine commented, glancing back at me. I simply shrugged it off.

The doctor continued to ramble on. "If you are going to see him, be careful. Rafale is still a dangerous man, not afraid to fight."

_(Sounds like my kinda guy.)_ I thought. "Let's move out then," I said impatiently.

"What? We aren't supposed to go anywhere else," Michon stated. "We just report it to Xu."

"You can stay here if you want. I'm gonna check it out."

"But that's against orders!"

"So be it. I came to get me some action, and I ain't gonna be denied."

"Great…I'm responsible for a renegade like you. If anything happens, I'm the one who takes the blame. You're staying here," Irvine ordered.

"How are you going to stop me?" 

I began to walk out and I heard Odine yell, "I still want to talk!" I ignored him. I'd heard enough from that guy, but something told me that wasn't the last I'd see of him.

As I came to the blue streets once more, I debated which way I should go. I followed my first instinct and ran to the right. I immediately encountered a pair of Toramas. They roared as I drew my gunblade. One of them leaped at me, and I spun around to dodge it. I sliced it across the ribs and it shrieked in pain.

"You want some more? Bring it on!" It felt good to finally be able to put my skills to use again after so long without any real competition.

Then the beast raised its tail up, signifying that it was preparing to unleash its Blaster. I turned around to see that the other was doing the same thing. I was surrounded, and it didn't matter which I attacked because the other would deck me with its Blaster. I decided to risk it and hope I could move fast enough to avoid its attack.

I dashed at the one in front of me and it fired the Blaster. I got out of the way and slashed it across the throat. I was about to turn around when I heard a gunshot, and then the Torama cry out in agony and drop dead. I twisted around to see Irvine and Michon walking toward me. 

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"We can't just let you go alone," Irvine replied.

"So are you going to try to force me back?"

"We know that's impossible, so we decided we should go with you," Michon said.

"Don't think I can do it by myself?"

"It's not that. You're my responsibility, so I gotta keep an eye on you," he stated.

"I don't need anybody to help me," I said.

"Too bad. We're comin' along whether you like it or not. Let's get going," Michon said.

_Author's Notes: I don't know if that chapter was very good or not. I'll let you decide though. Let me know what you thought in a review along with some constructive criticism to help me improve._


	8. Long Trip Across the City

Chapter 8- Long Trip Across the City 

"Do you know where we're going?" Michon inquired.

"No clue," Irvine replied.

"So are we just supposed to hope we find it?"

"Don't worry. We'll get there. So like, stay calm," he said coolly.

"I thought you would know your way around this place," I said.

"Cut me some slack. Just 'cause I've been here a few times doesn't mean I know where everything is. This city's huge," the sniper said.

"Then how do we get where we wanna go?" Michon asked.

"Hey, hey! I told ya…Trust me. I'll get us there."

"Then lead the way, captain," I said, using the term contemptuously. "Which way?"

Irvine looked both ways, vacillating between his decisions. "Let's just keep headin' this way," he replied with a shrug.

We ran until we came to an intersection. There were paths to our left, right, and straight ahead. "Now what?" Michon asked.

"I know that's to the Rent-A-Car place…" he said, pointing to the right. "The shopping center is straight ahead, I think. Goin' there will do us no good. It's all just machines. So let's go left."

We followed the cowboy as he continued to guide (or misguide) us through Esthar. We approached a stairway on our left with a Torama perched at the top of the steps. It looked ready to pounce, and sure enough, it leapt toward us. Irvine prepared to shoot it, but I broke in front of him and stuck my gunblade out. The ferocious creature's neck was penetrated completely, with the blade exiting through the back of it. I yanked Hyperion out and the monster laid lifelessly on the clear blue streets. I smirked. It reminded me of the time I had taken out Squall's GF Odin inside Lunatic Pandora. However, what transpired afterwards was not as pleasant with that other Guardian Force taking its place and blowing me away.

Irvine placed a firm hand on my shoulder and turned me around to face him. "What do you think you're doin'?! You could've gotten one of us mauled!" he reprimanded irately.

I casually glanced over to his gloved hand and stared him in the eyes again. "But I didn't, so get your hand off me." I swiped his hand off forcefully with my arm.

"Don't do that again, Seifer."

"Be quicker on the draw next time, Hotshot."

"Guys, just forget it for now. We've got more important things to worry about," Michon reminded.

The sharpshooter's eyes seemed to lose their anger and calm down. "You're right. Let's keep going."

We dashed up the stairs and continued our trek across the city. As we ran, I could see a large structure in the center of the city, which I assumed was the Presidential Palace. We encountered an Iron Giant farther down the street. We were higher up into the air than most of the pathways, and another was directly below us. The road was narrow and the obstruction was wide, so we had to go through it. I was prepared to charge at it, but the other two halted me.

"Your gunblade ain't gonna work too well, Seifer. It's resistant to weapons," Irvine said.

"We're gonna have to outsmart it," Michon added.

The thing spotted us and slowly began closing in on us with large strides. "Well, you better think fast," I stated.

She rushed up to it and wrapped her long nunchaku around its right leg. It twisted around to slash at her with its humongous sword. Right before it made contact with her, she agilely moved around to the back of the monster. Its two feet were touching the edge of the road now, and she extended her weapon even more to stretch around both of them. Then Michon pulled with all of her might and tripped it. It dropped off of the pathway straight below to the one below us with a loud crash. It struggled for a brief moment, then ceased moving.

_(Not bad.)_ I thought. I had to admit, I was impressed. She was definitely stronger and smarter than she appeared to be.

"Good job," Irvine congratulated.

She dusted her hands off with a satisfied smile. "Thanks, but it was no big deal. It wasn't that hard."

Then we pushed on toward this Rafale guy we were searching for. It was starting to seem more like a wild goose chase the farther we traveled. I began to think that it was a little too convenient that this guy's weapons shop was all the way across the city. Maybe it was just a crazy idea, but Odine started to appear as a suspect in my mind. The other two would probably just shoot it down, so I decided to keep the notion to myself. 

It took a really long time, but we finally found the place we were looking for. "Rafale Weapons" was above the entrance in bright orange, clashing with the blue color of practically everything else around it. I took the time to wipe the sweat from my forehead before we walked inside. 

Rafale was standing in the opposite corner, looking at his collection of guns. Compared to the other residents in Esthar, he stood out distinctly from the rest. He had scraggly blonde hair, which stuck out in every direction, and he was fairly thin. There were small yet visible traces of a mustache on his face, and he had the look of a convict. He didn't wear the customary clothes of Estharians either. He was dressed in a pair of pants, which were in pitiful shape with holes everywhere, and a sleeveless shirt. Various tattoos covered both of his exposed arms. It was fairly obvious that he wasn't originally from around this country.

"Can I interest you in anything?" he inquired in a businesslike fashion.

"Yeah, what do you know about President Loire's attempted assassination?" Michon interrogated, being very straightforward.

Rafale's eyes lit up in fury immediately. "Another one of you, huh? Get out! For the last time, I don't know anything!" he said defensively.

"You're sure you don't know anything?" Irvine persisted.

"Did you not understand, boy? I told you, I had nothin' to do with it!" he denied angrily. "Now get outta here! I don't do business with people like you!"

I was becoming irritated and confronted him, stepping right up to him. He was slightly taller than me. "Look, we're not leaving until you tell us somethin'."

"Is that so?" Rafale grabbed a gun off of the rack and aimed it at me.

I rolled my eyes in annoyance. I quickly drew my trusted gunblade out and disarmed our suspect effortlessly. Then he stumbled and bumped into the wall, knocking the rest of the guns off as he fell to the floor. Irvine pulled out his gun and pointed it at him as he was about to grab one. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," he warned.

"Don't kill me! Please don't kill me!" he begged, turning his head and shielding his eyes with his arms.

_(A coward, huh? I was hopin' for somethin' more from this guy. He's ready to crack.)_ I thought.

"Then tell us what you know," the cowboy demanded.

"Okay, I confess! I provided the rifle that they tried to shoot him with, but I wasn't the one who took the shot!"

"Then who did?"

"No! I couldn't tell you that or I'd be killed!"

I pointed the tip of Hyperion at his throat. "Your options are pretty limited here, pal."

He gulped loudly. "You guys are serious, aren't you? Well, one of Odine's assistants came by the other day and ordered it, but he wouldn't tell me what it was for. He only told me it wasn't for him. One of the presidential aides had asked him to get it," Rafale informed.

"How do you know it was the same rifle?" the sniper inquired.

"The investigators came by here with it and asked me if I had sold it to anyone. I recognized it as the same one, but I denied I knew it."

"…Did he give the name of the aide?" Irvine asked.

He shook his head. I pulled my gunblade away and Irvine put his gun away. _(So one of his own assistants was behind it, huh? Looks like we'll have to pay a visit to the Presidential Palace.)_ I thought.

Apparently, the other two were thinking the same thing. "Let's get moving, guys. We've got more business to take care of," Irvine said and we left, leaving Rafale sitting on the floor on his shop.

_Author's Notes: I'm not so sure if this chapter was any good or not, but I'll let you be the judge. Let me know what you thought of it in a review. God bless._


	9. Paying Visits

Chapter 9- Paying Visits 

"You know where we're goin' this time?" Michon asked.

"Yeah, gettin' there ain't much of a problem. You can see it from anywhere in the city," Irvine said. He pointed to the large structure in the center of Esthar. "See? That's it right over there."

Then the cowboy ran off to the left, moving in the direction we had just come from. Then we ran by the Airstation where the Ragnarok had landed. I started becoming skeptical of his sense of direction again. "Are you sure you're headin' the right way?" Michon asked doubtfully.

"I'm positive, so like, let me take care of it," Irvine replied.

Then Odine's Laboratory appeared on our right, but he quickly turned to the left past the red transportation tubes. We passed by the area where the Iron Giant had landed when we knocked it off before. I could tell because there was a large chunk of the road that had been broken off, obviously by the weight and force of the impact. Then we came to a fork in the path, but the sharpshooter did not hesitate. He dashed off to the right and we came to a stop in front of the Presidential Palace.

"Well, look at that. Turns out I knew where I was goin' after all," Irvine boasted with a smug smile.

"Shut up. Let's just go in," I said.

I was almost surprised to see that his smile didn't fade, and he wasn't upset by my comments. The sniper simply led us in silently. I gazed around at the outside of the building as we walked inside. Esthar guards were patrolling around, but they didn't halt us. It must've been because they saw Michon and Irvine wearing their uniforms, and they weren't supposed to stop any SeeD candidates.

Inside, there were many more guards, standing in every possible place of the room. I had expected heavy security, but not a whole line of soldiers on both sides of the wall. It was ridiculous. Honestly, it was fairly uncomfortable knowing each and every one of them were eyeing us, ready to pounce if we made one wrong move. Of course, I didn't let it show and continued to look straight ahead, maintaining a confident walk. 

I could tell Michon was nervous and noticed she was shaking slightly. Irvine didn't seem bothered at all, but maybe because he had been here before and knew what to expect. He strolled to the end of the hall, and I never saw even one of the Esthar soldiers flinch. They were more disciplined than the overly anxious Galbadian soldiers I had once headed. Their soldiers were very stoic and rigid, while most of Galbadia's had been recent Garden graduates and were very young. That didn't mean Esthar had the better army, but they just had a way of doing things that I was not used to.

Irvine approached the two guards surrounding the last door on the hallway. "Hey, are we allowed to go in?"

"SeeD candidates have already been inside, and we were not informed of any others coming," the one on the left said seriously.

The sniper looked back at us, unsure of what to do. "Listen, we have some important new information, and we need to be let in," I stated.

The two guards exchanged glances briefly, the only movements I saw any of them make. "Go ahead." They opened the doors for us and we walked inside. Then they were closed behind us.

There were two people standing across the large room from us. One was a tall, thin black man, and the other was a huge guy, both in stature and build, with a full blonde beard. They were standing behind a desk, staring out the window. The floor that separated us from them was clear glass, but when we placed a foot on it, it lit up brightly. It must have been used to notify them of someone's arrival.

They turned around to look at us. The black man squinted, as if trying to make out the faces. "Irvine? What are you doing here?" he inquired curiously.

"We got something we need to talk to you about, Kiros," he answered.

"But SeeDs have already been here."

"We got some new info though."

"Really? What is it?" he asked, intrigued.

"We went and talked to Mathieu Rafale. We managed to squeeze some information out of him," Irvine said.

"Great! We've been tryin' to get him to talk, but he's really stubborn."

_(Didn't seem too stubborn to me.)_ I thought.

"So what'd you learn?"

"Well, he told us that he was the one who provided the rifle, but he didn't take the shot. He told us he sold it to one of Doctor Odine's assistants, who said he was running the errand for one of Laguna's aides. That's all he told us," he explained.

Kiros and the humongous man beside him looked at each other, confusion on their faces. "One of us? That's impossible."

"Why's that?" Irvine asked curiously.

"Well, they tried to shoot Laguna at an outdoor conference. All of his aides were present on the stage with him. I mean, I guess one of them could've hired somebody, but as far as one of them actually firing the gun, it couldn't have happened," Kiros informed.

This brought my suspicions of Odine flooding back. "It was Odine," I said.

They all turned around to look at me. "You really think so?" Michon asked.

"It's starting to make more sense if it was," Irvine commented.

"It might be. We questioned him once, but he didn't tell us anything. We can't really do anything beyond that without a warrant. We can't get one of those without some kinda evidence. You'd have to get him to admit it or get something that would prove he was behind it," Kiros told us.

"I just don't understand why he'd do it," the sniper said.

"Well, I knew they didn't get along, but I didn't think Odine would take it this far."

"Maybe it's not him," Michon said.

"I'll go around here and talk to the other aides, and see what I can find out. You guys go see Odine, and meet us back here if you learn anything," he suggested.

"Sounds good. Thanks, Kiros. Thanks, Ward," Irvine said appreciatively. He was around to turn and leave, but hesitated. "By the way, where's Laguna?"

"He's on the Ragnarok, actually. We had arranged it in advance to sneak him onboard when you all got here. We figured it would be the safest place for him to hide from his assassin."

Then we hurried out of the room and rushed back toward Odine's Laboratory. I knew it was likely to be a tedious process when we arrived since he would talk forever, so I wasn't looking forward to it. When we reached the entrance, two of his assistants were blocking our way. "You can't come in," one of them said.

"Why not?" Irvine asked.

"The doctor is very busy working on a…project. He must not be disturbed."

I was not in the mood for this. "Get outta our way!" I demanded.

"I already told you! The doctor is…"

I drew out my gunblade and pointed it at them menacingly. "Either you move, or I'm goin' through you," I threatened.

Their eyes widened in fear and they tried to run, but we grabbed them. "Knock them out," Michon advised.

I slammed the hilt of Hyperion into the back of one's head, and Irvine rammed his gun into the other's skull. They crumpled to the ground harmlessly. "That's more like it," I said and we rushed into the lab.

_Author's Notes: Looks like they might have finally figured it out. So what did you think? Let me know in a review along with some constructive criticism. It'll help me improve as a writer. God bless._


	10. It's Over

Chapter 10- It's Over 

When we entered, Odine was typing information into a large computer. I could see a picture of President Loire on the screen. Apparently, he was so engrossed in his work that he never heard us come in. "So it was you!" Irvine exclaimed.

The scientist jumped in shock and then spun around to face us. "What are you doing here?! Where are my assistants?!" he shouted, outraged.

"They're…out for the moment," Michon said.

"You have no business in here! Get out!"

"'Fraid we can't do that, Doc. We know you're the one behind President Loire's attempted assassination, and we gotta take care of it," Irvine said.

"So you plan to kill me then?" Odine asked, not appearing intimidated at all.

"No, we're just gonna hand you over to Esthar authorities, so you're gonna come with us."

"I'm afraid I cannot let that happen." 

He quickly pulled a small object from his pocket and tossed it on the ground in front of us. Before we could react, it exploded, releasing large plumes of smoke that filled the room. We began to cough, choking on the smog. "A smoke bomb…Move for the door! We gotta get out!" I said between coughs.

We hurriedly tried to find the door and managed to get out. We saw the doctor scurrying away straight in front of us, and we chased in hot pursuit of him. He wasn't very fast, so we were able to gain ground on him as we ran. However, he was far ahead of us already, and constantly turning and moving down many of the paths, making him difficult to catch. We had to run at top speed just to avoid getting lost. I was getting frustrated at our inability to catch such a slow-moving man.

After a short while, I realized that he was heading for the Presidential Palace. _(Why would he be going that way? He'll just get caught there, too.)_ Then I thought back to the little device he had concealed from us when we first came to his laboratory. _(It doesn't seem likely, but could this guy actually be planning to blow the building up? Could it be like a last resort for him if everything else failed? If that's the case, I definitely gotta get him before he makes it!)_

"Hey Cowboy, he's headin' for the Presidential Palace!" I shouted at him.

"I figured that out, too! But why?"

"I think he's gonna try to blow it up! He's on a suicide mission!"

"Are you serious?!"

"I'm not sure, but we better stop him before he gets there, otherwise there might not be any Presidential Palace left!"

We put all we had into chasing after him, and we were gradually closing in on him, but Odine was getting closer to his destination as well. Then it began to come into sight, and I realized we couldn't get to him before he got inside. He was too far ahead still. Irvine couldn't shoot him because he might accidentally detonate the bomb, if there was one.

I had to take a chance. I dove at Odine, hoping to be able to grab him. Luckily, I was able to grasp the back of his garment and drag him to the ground roughly. I breathed heavily, immensely relieved. Then I saw him reaching into his pocket. The scientist pulled out the little gadget, but a firm boot stomped onto his arm before he could push the button. He dropped it on the ground. I looked up to see that it was Michon. "I don't think so, pal," she said between breaths. Then she gazed skyward and sighed. "It's finally over."

Then the Esthar guards dashed over to us and picked up the device. "What's this? A detonator? What are you doing with this, Doctor Odine?" one of them inquired, perplexed.

Then the two presidential aides, Kiros and Ward, came out of the building in a hurry. "We heard some noise out here. Is somethin' wrong?" Kiros asked, and then he laid eyes on the scientist and his detonator. "So…they were right. It was you…"

I still had a grip on Odine to make sure he couldn't get away. As the guards knelt over to apprehend him, I let go. Irvine extended his hand out to help me up, but I ignored it and stood up myself.

"Why'd you do it?" Kiros interrogated.

"He didn't give enough support to my research! He is a bumbling idiot who will never understand the power of science! If I could not get rid of him with an assassin, I decided I would kill him myself and take the rest of you with me. I didn't care what it took…If I could not get the funding I desired, I did not want to live anyway," Odine explained.

_(What an idiot.)_ I thought.

"Thank you so much for all of your help," Kiros said gratefully. "Is there anything we can do to reward you?"

"Nah, we couldn't take anything from you," Irvine declined.

"We're done here. Let them take care of the rest. Let's go," I said.

We headed back to the Ragnarok, and boarded. Xu was standing at the entrance. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Case closed," I said.

"I didn't hear anything about it," she said.

"It's over. Let's get outta here."

"Is this true?" Xu asked Irvine and Michon. They nodded in confirmation.

I never got to meet the president while he was there, but it didn't matter much to me. Once everyone had been called back, we returned to Balamb Garden in peace. I was exhausted, and relieved to know that it was finally over. Despite what I had originally expected this field exam to be, it was the most trying one I had participated in. It was actually a challenge.

When we made it back, my loyal posse was waiting for me. "How was it, Seifer?" Raijin asked.

"SAFE?"

"Yeah…I'm tired though."

"Everybody report to the second floor to await your results," Xu said.

The three of us headed for the elevator and rode it up to the second floor. We strolled out, and waited for someone to come and declare who had successfully passed. The other candidates where pacing around the hallway anxiously, but I remained calm and still. Irvine approached me and stuck his hand out. I simply stared at it blankly, and then looked at him.

He smiled courteously and said, "Good job, Seifer. I have to admit, you did well. We may not like each other much, but we could definitely use someone like you around here."

I grinned and shook his hand. "I know."

A short while later, Xu came out with a small list and a large smile on her face. I didn't like that. It made me feel like my name wasn't on it. "When your name is called, please step forward," she said. "Croy, Auron…Krown, Michon…Mirano, Delia…Kinneas, Irvine…That is all."

I couldn't help sighing. I looked at the ground and shook my head slowly. I couldn't believe it. _(Not again…The other two pass, but I don't.)_ My two teammates gazed at me momentarily, and then followed Xu.

Fujin and Raijin placed their hands on my shoulder. "You okay, Seifer?"

"Me? Oh yeah. Of course," I lied. I suppose I wasn't shocked that I hadn't passed, considering how I had gone against orders again. It was still painful though. I was never gonna see this place again. I attempted to maintain a straight face without giving away what I felt. "Come on, Fujin, Raijin. Let's just leave now."

We walked over to the elevator slowly and stepped on. We rode down in silence. We walked down the steps and headed for the front gate. Once we came to it, I turned around and took one final look at Balamb Garden. I wasn't ever going to see it again. Then we began to walk out.


	11. Back to Normal

Chapter 11- Back to Normal 

"Seifer, wait," I heard a voice call from behind.

I gazed over my shoulder and saw that it was Cid. "What do you want?"

"Come with me please," he requested.

"Why? Do you wanna embarrass me in front of everyone before you kick me out?" I asked angrily.

Cid shook his head. "No, no. Just come with me."

"Wait here, guys," I told my posse and followed after the Garden Headmaster.

We stepped onto the elevator and we went up to the top floor. The office was empty, except for the two of us. "Listen, Seifer, even though you disobeyed orders once again, we never would've resolved this issue without casualty if it wasn't for your instincts. You saved many lives by stopping Odine, which certainly can't go without being rewarded. So, after a lot of discussion, we're making you a SeeD. Congratulations."

I smirked. "Thank you, sir," I said.

"I look forward to seeing you develop as a SeeD before our eyes. Have fun at the Graduation Ball tonight," Cid said.

I took the elevator back down to the first floor, where Fujin and Raijin met me immediately. "What he did want, Seifer?" he asked curiously.

"I'm a SeeD. He was only going to discipline me for being irrational during the field exam, but I talked him into making me a SeeD. I didn't give him any choice," I replied. I wasn't gonna make it seem like I was at Cid's mercy, because I wasn't. 

Raijin began to laugh loudly, while Fujin simply smiled a little. "That's great! You're gonna be at the top of the SeeD ranks in no time, ya know!"

I grinned at them. "I know it."

That night, I actually decided to go to the party, even though I didn't want to. Raijin and Fujin accompanied me naturally, but we were the only ones who didn't dress up formally, and I was the only SeeD not wearing their uniform. I didn't care though. I hated formalities, and I wasn't gonna do that for anybody.

They were all there: Squall, Rinoa, Zell, Selphie, Irvine, and Quistis. Squall and Rinoa were making a scene on the dance floor, and I was surprised to see that the cowboy had actually gotten the little messenger to dance with him. A waitress came by us with drinks, and me and Raijin grabbed one. Fujin declined to get one. I stood around, sipping at my drink and observing the occurrences at the party.

Zell was sitting at a table, eating hot dogs one after another without hesitation like a pig. There was a girl with pigtails sitting at the table with him, who I recognized as one of the members of the Library Committee. I couldn't believe she was actually putting up with the guy.

Quistis was conversing with Cid and Matron. They noticed me and waved me over to them. I shook my head, and they decided to come to me. I rolled my eyes. _(Can't they take a hint?)_

"I just wanted to say congratulations, Seifer. I guess you've matured quite a bit in the past year," Quistis commented. 

"No, it's not that, my dear instructor. They just finally realized how good I was and that they needed me here," I said confidently.

"I guess some things will never change. You'll always be the same arrogant Seifer, no matter what."

"I am just glad to see that all of my children are finally SeeDs. It is good to have you with us, Seifer. I know you will make us proud," Matron said kindly.

I smiled and said, "Thank you, Matron." She had always been like that. She was always so kind to everyone, regardless of who you were and what you had done.

"Don't get too comfortable. We might have to send you outta here tomorrow," Cid said with a chuckle. "I have a feeling that your first mission will be very soon."

Then the three of them left us, continuing to chatter among themselves. I scanned the room, and spotted the two presidential aides, Kiros and Ward, talking to another man. I assumed that he was the president of Esthar. _(I guess they were invited here, too. They seem to be friends of Garden, since Irvine obviously knows them.)_ I thought. They must have seen me as well because they began to head my way. _(I'm not gonna get a break tonight, am I?)_

"You're Seifer, right? Kiros and Ward were tellin' me that you were the one who stopped Odine. I just wanna thank you personally for your hard work," Laguna said.

"No problem," I simply said.

"Aren't you gonna get out on the dance floor or anything? You've been standing here the entire time."

"Nah, I don't dance," I said.

"Oh, yeah, me neither," the president said.

"Well, there's a difference between don't and can't," Kiros commented, which brought a smile out of Ward.

"Not funny, guys!" he exclaimed. "Anyway, thanks again. I know you'll be a great SeeD."

There was a break in the music, and all of the couples walked off of the dance floor. I saw Squall and Rinoa walk to a spot not too far from us. I decided to go over and to speak to them. I had something I wanted to take care of. 

When I approached them, the sorceress smiled kindly at me. "Congratulations, Seifer."

"Thanks." Squall and I exchanged silent glares. "I got somethin' to ask of you, Squall," I said.

"What?"

"How's about a duel, for old time's sakes? Nothing serious or anything. Just some sparring," I offered.

The SeeD Commander looked over at Rinoa expectantly. "It's up to you. If you want to, go on," she permitted.

He looked back at me. "I'll meet you in the Monster's Lair in ten minutes," he agreed, with the slightest hint of a smirk in the corner of his mouth. I could tell he was looking forward to it as much as I was. We were on the same side now, but that didn't mean we weren't rivals anymore. _(I guess it'll have to be a "friendly" rivalry now.)_

I stopped by my dorm room and grabbed my gunblade. Then I headed for the Training Center and waited for him. I didn't have to wait long. Squall entered with his gunblade dragging behind him. He lifted his weapon up and assumed his battle stance, and I looked directly at the lion embossed on the blade. I drew Hyperion and pointed it at him. "You ready, Squall?"

"Of course," he said with confidence.

We charged at each other and swung our gunblades. As they met with a loud clash and a few sparks, I smiled. _(It's good to be back!)_

_Author's Notes: Well, that's the end of the story. What did you think of it? Let me know in a review along with some constructive criticism. It'll help me improve as a writer. God bless, and thanks for reading._


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